A Father's Return
by Lily Hanson
Summary: After being gone her whole life, Cammy's father finally returns, asking to see her. Will this be the reunion Cammy's always wanted?
1. The Fisher Conference

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Dino Charge. This story is fan-made._

The museum was quiet that Tuesday morning when the Fishers came in for their visit. They had just dropped Cammy off at school, meaning it was still early. Crowds weren't expected to start until a little later. Even then, it would mostly be students on field trips with their schools and the few odd adults who were retired, didn't work or had the day off.

The lack of guests in the museum meant the Dino Cafe was rather empty. Jon and Bella Fisher had their pick of the tables. They were quick to take a seat in a booth in the back corner, hoping for as much privacy as possible. Once they were seated, a waiter came over. Neither of the Fishers recognized this waiter and so needed to ask if Kendall was in for work.

"She doesn't normally talk to guests unless they have an appointment," the waiter answered. Clearly, he didn't know.

"We're her parents. She's expecting us," Mr. Fisher said and the waiter nodded before rushing off to find Kendall. Both Mr. Fisher and Mrs. Fisher looked to each other with the slightest of smiles, happy they were finally able to call themselves Kendall's parents. They had done it before, but when Kendall had been resistant to having them in her life. Being able to say it, and know they wouldn't be rejected by their daughter felt great.

Eventually, Kendall walked into the cafe. She glanced around quickly before spotting her parents then joined them at their table. Her parents noticed she seemed worried, and rightfully so. All they knew about what she had to talk to them about was that Cammy's father was in town and asking for her. There was no telling what that meant for the family or the little girl.

"His name is Andrew Holt," Kendall said, setting her tablet down, showing her parents she research she had done on the man claiming to be Cammy's biological father. "For a time, he was married to Cammy's mother and his name is on her birth certificate."

"You've looked him up?" Mrs. Fisher asked. Kendall shrugged.

"I couldn't sleep. He's got a couple of charges, mostly DUIs and a few petty thefts, all in his early twenties, before Cammy was born. He divorced Cammy's mother the summer after Cammy turned two, but given the change in address on his license plate, it appears he left them both just after Cammy was born."

"How did you find all this in one night?" Mr. Fisher asked, taking the tablet. Kendall shrugged again. She had illegal access to a lot of confidential information. Once she knew the energems could bond with anyone anywhere, Kendall needed a way to learn more about the people who were going to be part of her Ranger team. She had looked up everyone she could: Tyler, Shelby, Riley, Chase, and even the Prince of Zandar. She wanted to know as much as possible so she could do the best she could to help the team. On top of that, she wanted to know what these energems were going to get her into. If they did choose to bond with a psychopath, though she doubted that would be the case, she wanted to know.

"I'm resourceful," she answered her father, who seemed to take her word for it. Kendall had always been smart. From time to time she asked for help with her homework, but for the most part, she was studying books and working out problems and designing machines and tools that went far beyond what Mr. Fisher had learned in high school, college or at his own job. She was one of those genius kids, he would tell his co-workers and the other members of his family.

"Clearly," he muttered.

"Do you know why he's come back for her?" Mrs. Fisher asked her daughter, less concerned about who was asking for Cammy and more so worried about his intentions.

"I don't," Kendall shook her head. "I told him I didn't know her. I figured it would buy us some time to figure this out."

"Cammy talks about him," Mrs. Fisher said. "Nothing big. She just asks questions sometimes. I think she's curious."

"You think we should let them meet?" Kendall asked, feeling nervous about that idea. Her father had taken off on her, just like Andrew had with Cammy. Their reunion hadn't been very sweet and she didn't want the same thing for Cammy. If she could protect her little sister from the same pain she felt, she would. She would do whatever was best for Cammy, at any cost.

"Well, I certainly would want to know more on why he's choosing now to come back," Mrs. Fisher said. "If he'd just like to get to know her, that's fine by me."

"Not by me," Mr. Fisher frowned with a shake of his head. "This man abandoned his wife and daughter. He chose not to be a part of their life."

"He signed away his rights," Kendall nodded, agreeing with her father as she brought up a new page on Andrew Holt. "He moved out of state and tried to pursue a football career. There's some record of his try-outs, but nothing about him actually joining a real league. I think he wasn't anywhere near as good as he thought."

"So he abandoned his family for a football career, and when that falls through, what?" Mr. Fisher frowned. "He goes back to his daughter?"

"He works as chef in the restaurant down the street," Kendall said. "From what I can tell, he's kind of got his life together, but... that still doesn't explain what he could want with Cammy."

"Maybe he's realized his mistake," Mrs. Fisher suggested. "Cammy is an amazing little girl. He would be lucky to know her."

"He had his chance," Mr. Fisher growled. "He gave it up. He didn't even try. Bella, Cammy's happy with us. She's settled. She's got a home. I don't want to ruin that for her. There is a good chance this might hurt her."

"There's a good chance this could be exactly what she needs too," Mrs. Fisher said. "She has questions about her father, questions we can't answer. And they're going to stick with her forever. She has a right to know."

"I wish I didn't know," Kendall muttered. "Wondering why dad left was easier than knowing he's a complete asshole."

"Kendall..."

"He is," Kendall frowned. "I'd much rather still be wondering about him than have put up with all of his crap. I'm glad he's gone."

"This Andrew guy might not be the same man your father is," Mrs. Fisher said, reaching across the table and gently taking Kendall's hand. "Your father's a gambling addict. He wins a little, he loses big, right?"

"Something like that," Kendall muttered.

"He fought with your mother, he never took care of you. You wrote to him endlessly and he never answered you back. But Andrew... don't you think, if he really is sincere, he deserves to get to know his daughter. More importantly, doesn't Cammy deserve to know?"

"You're really pushing for this, aren't you?" Mr. Fisher asked. "You want to let Cammy meet him?"

"Supervised, of course," Mrs. Fisher said. "Maybe we meet with Andrew first without her. We get to know him a little bit, before we tell Cammy about him. She does deserve this, Jon. She deserves everything."

Mr. Fisher clenched his fists but relaxed when he saw his wife clearly wasn't giving up. He then decided she was right: Cammy did deserve to get some answers. As her father, he needed to do everything he could to ensure she got what she was owed. If her biological father did seem like an honest, caring man, it could be worth it to let him into Cammy's life.

Seeing she had her husband on her side, though it seemed reluctant, Mrs. Fisher turned to Kendall, "I know your experiences seeing your father again was less than perfect..."

"Try a complete nightmare."

"It doesn't mean it'll be the same for Cammy. You'll have just as much say in what happens as Jon and I will. If you don't like this Andrew guy, we'll consider some other options. Does that sound fair?"

"Fine," Kendall muttered and pulled up the final page on Andrew on her tablet. "Here's his address. Should we stop by to let him know?"

"I think that's fair," Mrs. Fisher nodded, then got up from the booth. Mr. Fisher and Kendall looked to her with surprise.

"Now?" they asked.

"The sooner, the better," she said. "Come on, you two, let's get moving."


	2. Meeting Over Lunch

It was just a casual lunch: four adults hanging out around a table in a restaurant. To onlookers, it was nothing to look twice at. However, this was the most important lunch of Kendall's life. This lunch would determine what would happen with Cammy.

"Football wasn't working out for me," Andrew said, shifting a little bit in his seat under the eyes of Cammy's parents and sister. Kendall didn't doubt this had to be nerve-wracking for him as well. Whether his intentions were good or bad, these were the people who would determine what would happen to him from here on out. "It didn't matter what I did, I just wasn't good enough to make it. That hit me hard, especially considering what I had left behind."

"Who," Kendall muttered. She wasn't exactly pulling for this to go well for Andrew. Even if he was a good person, there was no way to explain to Cammy that a career in football was more important to the man who gave her life than her. It would hurt her, period.

"I quit training," Andrew said. "I play in a local league, but that doesn't eat up too much time out of my week. We have games on Saturdays and just play for fun. It's not as fulfilling as a career would be, but it keeps me satisfied."

"We also heard you're working as a chef?" Mrs. Fisher asked. She was the most willing to give Andrew a chance, though Kendall had noted throughout the entire lunch there had been a protective look in her eyes. She was willing to give Andrew the benefit of the doubt, and was pulling for Cammy to get everything she deserved from a father and more, but was looking to make sure this was actually what would be best for her daughter.

"I do," Andrew nodded. "I work pretty regular hours. Sometimes I stay late, though, but it earns me a little extra cash. Speaking of..."

He trailed off to lean under the table, picking up the gift bag he had brought with him. "This is for Camille. I saw she hung out quite a bit at the Dino Museum so I thought I'd get her something. It's just a puzzle. Nothing fancy, but... can you give this to her?"

"We'll take it," Mrs. Fisher said, and Kendall liked how she never promised to give it to Cammy.

"Why are you back?" Mr. Fisher, who hadn't spoken once the entire lunch finally asked. He was blunt and to the point, earning a sideways glance from his wife, but a soft smile from Kendall. Andrew shifted nervously once more. Mr. Fisher leaned in. "From my understanding, you signed away your rights as a father. What made you change your mind now?"

"Well, I guess it's... well, probably the best way to put it is curiosity," Andrew shrugged. "I mean, I've always kind of wondered about her. How she turned out and... I kind of want to see for myself that she's in a good place."

"You're checking up on us?" Mr. Fisher asked with a heavy frown. "You, the father who left to play with a deformed ball, is coming back to town to check up on her real family?"

"Jon, please..."

"What gives you that right?" Mr. Fisher frowned.

"I'm not looking to take her away," Andrew assured the parents, putting his hands up in surrender, hoping it would calm Mr. Fisher a little. It didn't and Kendall smirked. "I'm not looking for a custody battle, or arrangements to have her stay with me every other weekend. I'm really not. I just want to get to know her."

"Cammy's a bright, energetic, happy, fun-loving girl," Mr. Fisher growled. "She's in a loving home with a great family. She's doing well in school, she's making friends, and on evenings and weekends she and her sister spend time together at the museum. So far, Cammy wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up, and I think she's on the right path to following her dreams. So you can rest assured that she's in good hands, she's doing well, and you missed out on someone amazing."

He set his napkin down on the table before storming off. Mrs. Fisher was right behind him, more so to calm him down than to stand in solidarity with him. Kendall stayed behind enjoying the way Andrew looked when he was defeated. It had been the look she always wanted to see from her father, but never did. It was the look that proved the tables had turned. A father abandons his daughter, causes her unimaginable pain, and then when he tries to come back, he gets to experience first-hand what it was like for his kid.

It was fair. For the first time in twenty-six years, life was fair.

"Will she be at the museum tonight?" Andrew asked, shocking Kendall. Her parents had denied him the chance to get close to Cammy. What on earth could make him think she would take his side?

"No," Kendall answered. It was a lie. Cammy would be dropped off after school. Now, Kendall knew to keep Cammy in the lab, away from anywhere where Andrew could spot her and get close.

Not that he would be able to get too close. Between a knight, a caveman, Chase and herself, no one would ever get close enough to Cammy that she would be hurt.

"When will she be at the museum?" Andrew asked. "Please, I don't have to talk to her. I just want to see her."

Kendall crossed her arms over her chest. Andrew groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt her. She doesn't even need to know I'm her dad. I just want to see her."

"I don't think you should."

"She's my daughter."

Kendall shook her head, pulled out some money to cover the cost of lunch and then started to walk out. As she did, she heard Andrew mutter words she was used to hearing, "Heartless bitch." For the first time, she smiled hearing those words. She would be whatever he wanted to call her, as long as Cammy was safe and happy.


	3. Cammy's Wonder

Kendall watched from a distance as Cammy said goodbye to her friend. He had been the only classmate to come to her birthday party a few weeks before, but seemed to be the only friend from school that Cammy needed. Since the party, they had had a few play dates together and Cammy always seemed to have fun. It was a huge relief for Kendall, who had been worried Cammy wasn't bonding with her classmates and that the lack of friends her age would affect her in the long run.

Fortunately, that was over. Unfortunately, there were still many hurdles that needed to be jumped. The next seemed to involve Cammy's biological father. He was back in town, and while Cammy had no idea of his presence, Kendall couldn't get him off her mind.

She had her parents had sat down to lunch with him the day before. He come to Kendall, claiming he wanted back in his daughter's life after abandoning her shortly after birth. He had given up his parental rights long before Cammy's mother had killed herself, and had also been contacted after her death, to see if he wanted to take his daughter into custody. He had refused, putting Cammy into foster care and then later allowing her to be adopted by the Fishers.

But suddenly, he had changed his mind. He wanted to get to know the daughter he had rejected. Kendall had been down that path and it had caused nothing but heartache for her. She didn't want Cammy to suffer the same.

Unfortunately, despite Cammy being only nine, the decision was hers. For now, Kendall and her parents could keep Andrew away from the little girl. However, there would be a time when Cammy was old enough to make the decision for herself. How would she feel then about missing out on the chance to get to know her biological father? Kendall remembered hating when the Rangers had tried to interfere when her father came back to town, and while they had been right to keep an eye on her, a part of her had been glad she figured out for herself that he was good for nothing. That day, she had been able to let go of hope that he would come back into her life and make everything better and she had moved on. Albeit, she was still in the process of moving forward, but it had been the catalyst.

Cammy deserved the same. Once her friend's father walked him out of the museum, Cammy made her way to the booth in the cafe and sat across from Kendall.

"That was fun," she smiled. "Jacob said thanks for letting us play in the museum."

"He's welcome anytime," Kendall nodded but Cammy noticed the look that said there was something on her sister's mind. She sighed.

"What?"

"Huh?"

Cammy pointed to Kendall's face, "You look pensive."

"Pensive, huh?"

"Word of the week," Cammy nodded her head and smiled. "It means thoughtful. You look pensive. What's on your mind?"

Kendall shrugged her shoulders, unsure of what to tell her little sister, or if there was even anything to tell. Her father didn't approve of Andrew coming into Cammy's life. Her mother hadn't tried to push the matter in the biological father's favour. Kendall hated to admit it, but she was sitting on the fence. She couldn't help but wonder what would be best for the little girl in the long run.

"I was just thinking... about my dad," she decided taking this route, just because it would give her clear answers, without alerting Cammy to anything.

"Jon?"

"My real dad," Kendall said. "I was thinking about him and how he came back after all these years."

Cammy shifted in her seat, seemingly settling in so she could pay better attention. Kendall noticed this and knew she had her sister's interest. It was a good sign that Cammy had similar thoughts concerning her own father and wanted to hear Kendall's experience.

"When did he come back?"

"It was before we met," Kendall said. "He was running a little low on cash and needed a loan."

"Did you give it to him?"

"I did," Kendall nodded.

"Was he happy you helped him?" Cammy asked. "Was he happy to see you?"

"He took the money and bolted," Kendall said. "I didn't see him again until... well, not long after, actually. He came back to town having won some money gambling. He wanted to give me back what he owed me. It was kind of like he was buying me out."

"What does that mean?"

"Paying me money so he feels he doesn't owe me anything after leaving," Kendall said. "But I wanted nothing to do with the money so I let the Rangers keep it. They didn't want it either."

"So what happened?"

"We hosted the mentorship program," Kendall smiled at Cammy and remembered the day they met fondly. It seemed like so long ago already, and Cammy had been a completely different person back then. It was amazing how a few months could change things for the better. "You and I met there."

"Best day ever," Cammy smiled back just as bright. "You taught me dinosaurs aren't scary at all! They're so cool."

"We put dad's money to something good. So kids like us would have a better chance than I did growing up. Seeing how it worked out for you, it paid off."

"Have you seen your dad since?"

"Once," Kendall nodded. "He lost a lot of money again and owed someone really dangerous a huge amount. He wanted to take back the money he gave me, but I had already spent it and besides, it wasn't his to take back. I never asked for it in the first place."

"What did he do?"

Kendall shied away from telling that part of the story. Cammy knew something had happened to her but had never been given any details. She just knew something happened while Jeremy had been in town, but that at the end of it all, Kendall was okay. For an eight year old, that was enough.

Kendall still didn't feel like telling the little girl how her father had left her with all his debts, and allowed a man to threaten her life if he didn't get his money. Despite all Cammy had seen through the Rangers, some stories were too mature for her.

"We got into a pretty big fight about it. I haven't seen dad since and I don't think he'll want to see me again."

"I'm sorry," Cammy said, reaching a hand out and placing it on top of Kendall's. "Your dad is a jerk."

"He is," Kendall agreed. "But, despite everything, I'm glad I got to figure that out. In a way, knowing he's a jerk has helped me move on. I don't miss him anymore. I don't want him to come back. I know my life is better the further away he is from me. I'm happy for that."

"You're happy he's a jerk?"

"In a way," Kendall nodded then turned the conversation around. "What about you? Do you ever wonder about your dad?"

Cammy shook her head, but the answer seemed rehearsed, like she had been anticipating the question and gave the answer she thought Kendall would want to hear.

"I love Jon," she said. "He's my dad."

"That's great, Cammy. But you can love Jon and still wonder about your dad. I know I did. Do you?"

Cammy put a little more thought into this answer, twisting her face as she tried to come up with a more honest answer. Finally, she nodded.

"Sometimes."

"What do you wonder?"

"Stuff."

"Like?"

"Where he is," Cammy asked. "Why he left. What he looks like. If he remembers me. If he likes me. If I look like him. What he does. If he has another family."

"That's a lot to wonder."

"Did you wonder that stuff before you met your dad?"

"That, and so much more," Kendall nodded her head. "Even after meeting him, sometimes I still wonder about a few things."

"Like what?"

"Like what my life would be like if he never left. If my parents had just gotten a regular divorce and shared custody. If dad wanted to be a part of my life, instead of taking off."

"You still wonder that?"

"I'll never stop," Kendall nodded. "Meeting my dad answered a lot of my questions, but not all of them."

"But you're happy it happened?"

"In a sense."

"I want to meet my dad one day," Cammy said with a heavy sigh as she looked down at the table, running her fingers across the surface mindlessly. "I want to get some answers."

"Even if it might hurt?" Kendall asked. "I'm happy dad came back. I'm happy I learned some of the truth, but it hurt a lot, Cammy. I'd rather face Sledge and Fury at once than feel that kind of pain again."

"But now you know," Cammy said. "And I want to know too. I want to know who my dad is. Even if it hurts."

Kendall nodded her head then smiled at Cammy, "You know what, I just remembered, I left some of my computers on downstairs. Why don't you go find one of the guys and have them make us a big sundae while I go make sure everything is still okay in the lab."

"A big sundae?"

"Why not?" Kendall chuckled. "We've earned it, haven't we? After all that stuff our dads put us through."

"Yeah, we did!"

"Go find the guys. I'll be back in a bit."

"Okay," Cammy said as she hopped out of the booth excitedly. Kendall waited for her to disappear into the kitchen before getting up and pulling out her phone. She now knew Cammy wanted to meet her father, despite the possible consequences. She just needed to convince her parents this would be the right thing for the little girl.

"Bella, is Jon there, we need to talk."


	4. The Day of the Meeting

Cammy wasn't vain. She had never been able to afford it. Her mother had spent so much money on buying herself drinks, there was very little left for Cammy. She would have to settle with whatever clothes her mother brought home from the bargain store. There was also never time for fancy hair dos. Cammy would have to be happy with running a hairbrush through her locks in the morning.

Not that she cared for anything special. She had grown up without it and therefore didn't need it. But today, she wanted to look good. Today she was meeting her father, and she wanted him to see her at her best.

She had heard from Kendall and her parents that he was back in town and as it turned out, he wondered about her too. Cammy had always been curious about him, so agreed to meet him now that the chance arose. She wanted answers to some of her questions and she wanted to know more about the man who gave her life. She picked out her favourite shirt and made sure it look good before finding the best pair of pants she owned. She slipped them on and wasn't happy with the way they felt against her skin, but knew she would have to tough it out for the day. Then she grabbed her hairbrush and slowly brushed her hair, making sure to get out every knot and every tangle. While fixing herself up, there was a knock on the door and Mr. Fisher walked in.

Mr. Fisher had tried to hide his feelings about Andrew from Cammy, but the nine year old wasn't clueless. She knew he wasn't especially happy about this meeting, but he had put his feelings aside because this was what she wanted (and he had been convinced by his wife and Kendall that in the long run, this could be good for Cammy). He sat down on his youngest daughter's bed and watched her get ready with a sad smile.

"You look great, honey," he said. Cammy set her brush down and turned to him.

"Do you think he'll like me?"

"He'd be a fool not to," Mr. Fisher nodded. He patted the spot next to him on the bed, inviting Cammy to join him. She hopped up, smiling.

"Do you think my dad is going to be nice or mean like Kendall's?"

Mr. Fisher hated hearing those words: _my dad, Kendall's dad_. It always implied his daughters had other fathers, fathers who meant more to them than him. He knew that wasn't the case. He knew where both his girls were concerned that he had played the vital father figure. He had cared for them, nurtured them and loved them unconditionally. Where Mr. Morgan had walked out on his daughter, Mr. Fisher had stayed, waiting eight long years for her to finally realize he would always be there for her and come back. There was nothing his daughter could do that would make him turn away from her.

In Cammy's case, Mr. Fisher was actually raising her. She was younger than Kendall had been when she came into the Fisher home and needed much more guidance. In just a few short months, Mr. Fisher had given Cammy more love and affection than her biological father ever could, even if he were to return and stay forever.

The words hurt, and they always would, but Mr. Fisher knew not to take it personally. Not when his daughters called their biological father dad, and not when they called him Jon. The word dad had a very different meaning to them – for them, it represented an absent figure, someone who didn't care for them at all; someone who put his own needs above those of his young daughter. He didn't want to be associated with that person.

Still, it was hard. He felt temporary, especially with Cammy. Kendall was old enough now that she didn't need her father. Bridges had been burned, ties were cut and letters to him and stopped years before. Kendall was no longer looking for a dad and instead needed a father. That was where Mr. Fisher would step up. He would be her foster father, or adoptive father, or even just a father figure, if that was all she needed. And that would be enough for him, because he would know he was doing everything he could to make her life a little better.

For Cammy, it was nerve-wracking. She was only nine. She didn't have the knowledge or insight or experience that Kendall did. If her dad played his cards right, Cammy would fall for him and perhaps love him more than she loved Mr. Fisher. After all, what nine year old didn't prefer to be in the presence of someone who fed them candy all day, took them to the park, ignored homework and let them stay up way past their bedtime, even on school nights. If Andrew did choose to be that kind of father, than the firm but fair, school comes first, eat your vegetables type father wouldn't stand a chance.

He risked losing his daughter. He was scared she would choose to leave him. He was scared that if this worked out, Cammy wouldn't love him anymore. At the same time, he worried that if this failed, if Andrew wasn't a suitable father or friend for Cammy, his daughter would be left heartbroken.

This was lose-lose.

"Jon?" Cammy asked, waving her hand in his face. Jon snapped out of his thoughts and looked to his daughter. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just thinking," he said. "Are you ready?"

"I'm scared," Cammy admitted. "What if he thinks dinosaurs are boring?"

"You'll talk about something else."

"What if he hates the Power Rangers?" Cammy asked. "Kaiser's dad doesn't like them, you know. He says they're just vigil aunties."

"Vigilantes" Mr. Fisher chuckled. "And you know, they kind of are."

"But they're superheroes," Cammy said. "They saved the world."

"I know they did," Mr. Fisher nodded. "And if your dad doesn't like them either, you'll talk about something else."

"Princesses?"

"Sure."

"But what if..."

"Cammy, you know this might not go well," Mr. Fisher said, a little for himself, but mostly for his daughter. He didn't want her to get her hopes up that she and her father would hit it off and suddenly everything in her life would magically be fixed. He didn't want her to think that there would naturally be something that she shared with her father that they could talk about for hours.

"I hope it does."

"I know, but it might not. You have to be ready for that, just in case."

Cammy looked down at her hands in her lap and sighed. She wanted to hit it off with her father. She wanted him to like her and to share her interest. Kendall had mentioned a couple of times that her interest in dinosaurs came from her father. It was something they had in common. Cammy had to be like her father in some way.

Then again, despite a shared interest, Kendall was happy her father wasn't around. She hated him, he didn't care for her, and there would never be a relationship there.

"Will you still be there?" she asked, looking up at Mr. Fisher hopefully. "If my dad and I don't get along, you'll still be my father, right?"

Mr. Fisher put his arm around her, squeezed her gently and then nodded his head.

"I'll be there," he promised her. "No matter what, even if your dad is your best friend, I will always be your father."

"Silly," Cammy chuckled, shaking her head. "Kendall is my best friend."

"I should have known," Mr. Fisher smiled.

"But you'll still be my dad, right?" Cammy asked. "My real daddy. Like how you're Kendall's real dad?"

"Your real dad?"

"Yeah. The dad who takes care of me," Cammy nodded. "You'll still do that, right? You'll help me with homework, take me to the park and watch movies with me, right?"

"I'll even chase away the monsters under your bed."

"That's Kendall's job," Cammy giggled.

"Kendall fights monsters?"

"She's good at it," Cammy nodded her head. "Really good."

"Alright, she can fight the monsters, but then what about me?"

"You'll be my real dad," Cammy smiled from ear to ear. "Right?"

"Right," Mr. Fisher agreed and wrapped his arms tight around his little girl.

-Dino-Charge-

Kendall had suggested the meeting between Cammy and Andrew take place at the museum. He already knew that was where the little girl liked to visit, and there would be plenty of people around to keep an eye on her, minimising the chances that he hurt her. Kendall had set Cammy up in the kid's zone, letting her play on the slides and dinosaur playground equipment until her father showed up. Chase was leading a tour around the kid's exhibits so he could stay close. Koda was mopping the floors and Ivan was cleaning a display. Cammy would have all the support she needed.

Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were playing with Cammy. Kendall was happy to see they still had the energy to keep up with the nine year old on a daily basis. They had been as active in her life as she had allowed them growing up, but Kendall had been certain that would change somewhat now that they had Cammy. They were much older now and had been talking about slowing down. Kendall thought she and the Rangers would have to pick up the slack a little when it came to spending all of Cammy's youthful energy, but her parents were more than capable.

As they all played, and the boys kept to their positions, Kendall stayed by the door. Andrew was now half an hour late for the meeting time, and he hadn't messaged to explain why or when he was expected to arrive. Kendall wasn't surprised he was late – absent fathers weren't known for their reliability. However, she expected more from a man who had asked for this.

Finally, her phone buzzed. Andrew would need a damn good excuse, but Kendall was willing to take anything as long as he was going to show up. Unfortunately, as she opened the text message, she realized that wouldn't be the case. The excuse was atrocious and the estimated time of arrival was never.

 _Hey, really sorry to bail like this but I just got offered the most amazing job in a restaurant up State. I'll be running my own kitchen. That means I'll have to move and I don't think with the distance and the new position I'll have much time for a kid. Tell Camille I'm sorry._

Kendall was the queen of putting work before her family. She had done it for eight years. However, she had never let her parents or her brother believe she would be there for them when she had no intention of following through. In the time she was gone, she had never promised to come home for the holidays or birthdays or any special event her parents could think of. She never wanted to let them down, especially after building them up. Leaving was hard enough. Knowing she had broken their hearts had been too difficult already. She couldn't hurt them anymore with lies.

Not to mention, they were adults – parents. They were more able to cope with rejection and loss. Cammy was a little girl who had already been abandoned too many times. She wasn't ready for another rejection and certainly didn't deserve it.

"Cammy, can you come here?" Kendall called and her heart felt like it was going to fall out of her chest. She had talked to Cammy about meeting her father. She had let the little girl know he was in town and asking about her. While Andrew was to blame, Kendall felt largely responsible. Her father had warned her this was a bad idea. She wished she had listened. She wished she had ignored Andrew altogether, sparing her little sister the inevitable pain she was able to suffer.

Cammy hopped off the Stegosaurus climbing wall and rushed over excitedly to her sister. She had no idea what Kendall wanted to say, hoping it would be that her father was in the museum and they were going to meet. When Mr. and Mrs. Fisher looked over and saw the mixture of guilt and sadness on Kendall's face, they knew what had happened. They gave her a quick and subtle nod, letting her know they were alright with her talking to Cammy alone, and they would help to pick up the pieces afterwards.

"Is he here?" Cammy asked and looked around, hoping she would be able to spot her father, despite never having met him. Kendall shook her head.

"Why don't we head to my office?" Kendall suggested. Cammy looked up with a frown.

"Why?"

"There's something we need to talk about."

"He's not coming, is he?" Cammy asked. Kendall sighed, shaking her head. Cammy shrugged her shoulders. "Oh... Oh well."

"He says he's got a job and..." Kendall stopped herself. Excuses wouldn't make anyone but Andrew feel better. Cammy didn't need to hear them. She didn't need to know that a new job was more important to her father than meeting her. She didn't need to know he had waited half an hour before cancelling the meeting, or that he had allowed all this to be set up, knowing there was a chance he was leaving town again and wouldn't have time for a daughter. Cammy didn't need to know any of that. It would only make the pain worse. "He's just not coming, Cam. I'm sorry."

"I... I didn't think he was going to come anyways," Cammy said, trying to pretend she wasn't disappointed, but everyone could see she was. She was looking down, shifting from side to side and trying to hide her face when Kendall kneeled.

"You remember what I said?" Kendall asked. "That it hurts a lot, but now you know you don't need him. Now you can move on."

"It... it doesn't... hurt," Cammy stammered, trying to talk through the tears without giving away how upset this made her. "I don't need my dad. I've already... I've got one. I just wanted to ask him questions and... It's okay."

"It's not," Kendall shook her head. "What he did is not okay."

"Maybe he'll come another time?" Cammy asked but Kendall sighed. In her experience, Andrew would never come back. He might make promises like he had this time. He might swear he was changing, that family was more important to him or that he wanted to build a relationship with his daughter, but something would always come up. His daughter clearly wasn't a priority. Work, his hobbies, his interests would always rise above Cammy.

If that was the case, then Kendall would make sure there never was another time. Andrew had gotten one chance and he had blown it. He was only going to be able to break his daughter's heart once.

"I felt stupid too," Kendall said, brushing Cammy's hair out of her face, seeing the tears in the little girl's eyes. "When my dad came back, I felt stupid that I ever believed him."

"You did?"

"Yeah. And I cried. And I really needed it. You know, it's okay to be upset. It's okay to be angry and sad and disappointed. What he did, it's really not okay. And it's not your fault, Cammy. You're not stupid for hoping."

Cammy nodded her head as a little sob escaped her lips. Kendall picked her up, held her close and gestured to her parents that she was going to take Cammy down to her office. The little girl needed privacy. It was clear her father's rejection had left her feeling humiliated she had ever believed him.

"You're really brave," Kendall told her as they walked through the halls. "And you know he's the one missing out. I know my life's only gotten better since I've met you."

Cammy wrapped her arms around Kendall's neck and buried her face in her shoulders.

"You're going to be okay, Cam," Kendall assured her. "You've got me, you've got Jon and Bella, and you've got all the Rangers. You don't need your father even if it would have been nice."

Once Kendall was in her office, she sat down on the couch. She let Cammy sit on her lap and held her as the little girl cried a little louder.

"I wanted better for you, Cammy," Kendall whispered, rocking her gently. "I wanted so much more for you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."


	5. A Loving Family

The following morning, Cammy woke up in her bedroom to the smell of pancakes and bacon. Her parents were cooking up what smelled like a delicious breakfast to make up for the day before. She had been so excited to meet her biological father. Hundreds of questions swirled through her head and she wanted answers. She thought she could get to know him, maybe he would like her and want to be a part of her life. Maybe her family could grow a little more.

Unfortunately, that hadn't happened. He never showed up. Cammy didn't know why, or what he could have decided was more important than her. All she knew was that he didn't come through for her. A terrible feeling rose up in her that maybe she would never be able to count on her father for anything. She wasn't good enough for him.

However, there were people right in this very house who thought she was good enough. There were people who wanted her, who loved her and cared for her. Kendall had spent the afternoon comforting Cammy, letting her know just how loved she was. Her parents had taken her home after that and stayed with her until she fell asleep. Cammy didn't need them to say anything or come up with an instant fix. The fact that they were there meant so much to her already.

She threw off the blankets and crawled out of bed. She made her way downstairs slowly, peeking between the railings on the stairs to make sure her nose was right. When she saw a fresh plate of pancakes and bacon, she knew her parents were still working to make sure she was happy. It was an odd thing for Cammy, but she loved it. People who just a few months ago were complete strangers to her were actively trying to make her happy. Before Kendall, no one had done that.

Her father's rejection of her burned deeply, and maybe Kendall was right that it would always be tough. There would always be questions left unanswered. But that didn't matter to Cammy, not anymore.

"Pancakes?" she called and rushed into the kitchen, finding her mother placing the maple syrup on the table.

"I thought today called for something special," Mrs. Fisher nodded. "How are you feeling?"

Cammy shrugged her shoulders. The rejection still hurt. She still felt stupid and upset. She still wished she had gotten the chance to meet her father, and at the same time she wished she had never been presented with the opportunity. She was conflicted, but she was okay.

"You know," her mother said, sitting down next to Cammy. "What happened yesterday, that says nothing about you, right?"

"Kendall said that."

"Jon and I love you with all our hearts. You were meant to be in this family, Cammy."

"Thanks."

"I really mean it," Mrs. Fisher said, touching Cammy's arm and offering her a smile. "We're so grateful we get to watch you grow up. And we're really happy that you can help Kendall out too. What you're doing for her means a lot."

"I love her," Cammy said, matter-of-factly. She would do anything for Kendall – it went without saying.

"I know you do. And, you know, it's funny but, if there's anyone I feel sorry for, it's Andrew."

"My dad? Why?"

"Well, Jon and I have three amazing kids and one really great granddaughter," Mrs. Fisher said as she began to count on her fingers. "And we have each other; that's always a good thing. We got to watch Jeremy grow into a good person, which is a blessing in itself. We're getting to see Kendall open up a little more. I don't think I have to tell you how miraculous that is."

Cammy chuckled. She didn't know the aloof Kendall but she had heard stories.

Her mother continued, "And, Jon and I get to watch you grow up. And just like with any kid, you're teaching us so much. You make us better parents and better people. Andrew, he's not that lucky. Without you in his life, there's always going to be a dark, empty place in his heart. And do you know who's fault that is?"

"Mine?"

"Silly goose," Mrs. Fisher chuckled. "You gave him every chance he deserved. You gave him more than he deserved and he threw it away. I know you're going to be okay. Him, well, down the road, he'll realize he misses you."

"You really think so?"

"I do," Mrs. Fisher smiled. "What's not to miss?"

Cammy jabbed her pancake piece with her fork and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I am pretty awesome."

Mrs. Fisher chuckled, kissed the top of her daughter's head and then started to clean up the kitchen.


End file.
